A group of East Stroudsburg elementary students are making sure high school students within the district don’t go hungry.
Members of Student Council at Resica Elementary School are learning what it means to not only lead but serve.
Student Council President and 5th Grader Shata Alattila says, "We were trying to figure out what we wanted to do for the school and others in the districts so we came up with helping people that don’t have the money to buy food."
This morning they stuffed a bus with food they collected over the past month from their fellow students.
Student Council Secretary and 5th Grader Violet Kastner says, "We’ve collected foods that won’t expire like pasta, canned foods."
Then they got to deliver it to the Timerwolves Pantry at East Stroudsburg High School North.
The three-year-old pantry serves kids from both the intermediate and the high schools. And we’re told the need is great.
High School North Principal Ben Brenneman says, "We have a lot of students that need some help whether it’s food, whether it’s with hygiene products, sometimes clothing, sometimes backpacks."
It’s a real eye-opener for the elementary students.
Alattila says, "We should be thankful and grateful that we have a roof over our heads and food and money for food or something, but sometimes other kids don’t have that."
Kastner says, "I feel bad for people who don’t have basic needs and I feel that it’s awesome to help them."
Which is exactly what their Student Council Advisor is hoping they’d take away from today’s outing.
Resica Elementary School Student Council Advisor Fabiola Souffrant says, "I want them to recognize that the need is something that is not always visible and you won’t know the impact of what you do until you actually do it."
The principal hopes the students realize just how much those 14 boxes really matter.
Brenneman says, "The smallest box of food or hygiene product or backpack can make a huge difference in the life and day of somebody else."
Making the Poconos a better place one small act of kindness at a time.